1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hollow wall anchors of the type having deformable body portions to interengage and interlock with wall material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention is an improvement in the type of hollow wall anchor that is currently in widespread use. Such prior art device is formed from a hollow tube with a flange at one end to be seated against the inner surface of a plaster wall or wallboard, and which at its opposite end is threaded to receive the inner end of a threaded bolt that extends through the tube from the flanged end. The body of the tube intermediate its end portions has spaced longitudinal slots, whereby the body is formed as a cage of thin ribs. In the assembled structure, the bolt is threaded in so that its head abuts the flange. The inner end of the bolt may be pointed, and a tapered or frusto-conical member threaded thereon, so as to permit the structure to quickly penetrate and pass through the wall when the head is struck to hammer the structure into place.
As explained in my aforementioned copending application, such an anchor is anchored in place where driven by prior art practices via turning the bolt head against the flange with a screwdriver. Such turning is continued as needed to draw the inner end of the body towards the wall, causing the ribs to deform so they are force into, and interlock with, the wall material.
With the advent of the method and hand tool of my invention as disclosed in the aforementioned copending application, the time consuming method of operating such a wall anchor via a screwdriver is eliminated. Instead, the bolt is partially withdrawn, by unscrewing it to space the head from the flange, inserting the tool jaws between the head and flange, and forcing the jaws apart so as to increase the separation between head and flange, thereby drawing the inner end of the body towards the flange and effecting the deformation of the ribs for interlocking with the wall material.
While my method and apparatus greatly increase the speed with which wall anchors can be inserted into and anchored in a wall, and thereby increasing the mounting of large numbers of shelves, cabinets and the like on such walls, the need for unthreading of the bolts of such wall anchors is still an undesirable limitation and obstacle to desired increased work output.